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A TRUE NARRATIVE 



BY 



Rarry €. freeman 



ODELL 1 904 PRINT 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Keceived 

DEC 19 I9U4 

Couyri^ni entry 

CUiSS CI XXc. No: 

/ Z / Z 

COPY B. 






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Copyrighted 1904 by HARRY C. FREEMAN 



PREFACE 



This poem was commenced Monday, Oct. 
24, '04 and finished Saturday, Oct. 29. '04. 

The first thirty verses are written retro- 
spectively, but v/ith the sentiment, as if 
being written, at the time the therein des- 
cribed, transpired. 

Surel}' the omnipotent hand of God was 
upon the poet, for little did he think, when 
commencing this work that it would grow 
to such dimensions, or even end, such as it 
has. 

Harry C. Freeman. 



#* ^%. 






\ 



• A,- 



TH<^ K<2cir{--fSroI^en Cotter 

While looking back o'er days and months 

I fancy I see thy smiling face, 
And hear the words that thou spake once, 

Which never can be retraced. 

I hear the fire upon the hearth, 

And now and then the bell a ringing, 

Where love met love and heart met heart, 
And all was holy singing. 

And when the evening work was done, 
And all the toils w^ere laid aside, 

Then you the one I somehow won 
Was there confiding at my side. 

There many a night we did spend, 

And many a smile exchanged, 
Little knowing how that would end. 

Little knowing the Master's aim. 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

And many an hour you did spend, 
Upon the steps 5'et not forlorn, 

For another was there to attend 
Until the wee, wee hours of morn. 

Yes many an hour was sweetly passed, 
When the golden sun to rest had gone, 

When the moon o'er hill and spire passed, 
Caring little we still grew fond. 

Caring little we went aside, 

To whisper sweetest words of love, 

Thinking little what might betide, 
Yes betwixt me and thee my love. 

Yet don't forget the day and hour; 

When reading this my dear, will you; 
When looking up you sweetly said, 

" I wonder if, always, 3'ou'll be true? " 



The Heart-Broken Lover ' 

And don't my dear forget the days, 

When walking by the seaside, 
Although remembering brighter days; 

Remember I was at thy side. 

Remember that upon your birthday 
Pleasures untold we did enjoy, 

While straying down the watered way. 
Where there was no one to anno3\ 

And thus along the noisy seashore 

Walked we arm in arm along, 
Yet always with a kiss in store 

To supplement our little song. 

Then finally at last arrived 

At your dear home so bright and sweet. 
Where all the children there do strive 

Their Nettie once a^ain to meet. 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

But soon the evening sun was low 
And fast was sinking to his rest, 

To soon be hiding as a roe 
In the many colored west. 

Thus soon we wend along the way 
While the sun to rest was going, 

While the rays of fading day 

O'er hill and dale was faintly glowing. 

Soon the moon, a crescent in the sky. 
Shown bright and clear with golden light 

While you, my Nettie dear, and I 
Stood loving on that sacred night. 

But soon the time had come to part 
When I to my dwelling must go, 

But 3^et not with a broken heart 
For yours that night was all aglow. 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

I fancy I see thee, as we say, 

When parting on that solemn night: 

" Goodbye my dear, 'til another day; 
God be with you, 'twill all be right." 

And as we both our heads turn back 
And not even a smile decline. 

Onward we travel 3'et not with lack 
Of love so true and so sublime. 

I see you as you travel home, 

Yes you and your sister too. 
Until dispersed b}' space and dome 

Your forms departed are lost to view. 

No doubt, as while your path retrace, 
Your heart goes back to one you love, 

Whose heart was warm and full of grace 
Whose eves were set on thin.srs above. 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

But a day or so has now elapsed 
Since I my love you last did see, 

And when we meet our hands we clasp 
And O how happy now are we. 

Yes happy now m}^ dear are we, 
Yes happy now to meet at home, 

Yet we a fairer land do see 

Where angels fl}' from dome to dome. 

And now and then we took a stroll 
Upon the hillside's gentle slope, 

That we a heart might then unfold 
With faces bright and full of hope. 

But when the evening time was sown 

The saddest of all the day, 
'Twas now our time to be alone 

'Tvvas now the time to ,12:0 our way. 



10 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

Soon once again your presence I seek 
Where hours afore I bid you goodbye, 

And finding you there just so sweet 
Came back the words 'twill not untie. 

This time I do not leave thee behind, 
For you my dear with me depart, 

And we in the city do recline 
Trusting in each others heart. 

And soon upon another birthday, 
We for your blessed home depart. 

Caring little what others say 

For we have gained the better part. 

And this the brightest day of life 

I strive to be the greater, 
That I may win a noble wife 

And please my Heavenly Maker. 



11 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

O bless the Eternal Spirit, 

O how happy was that day, 
When you my love did fear it 

That I might sometime stray away. 

Then once again the way w^as trodden, 
But not alone nor yet in vain, 

For coming gains of Modern Sodom 
Seemed not to cast an endless pain. 

And many an hour was sweetly spent, 
When we the others pleasure brought, 

Yet now does seem almost to rent 

Since I in vain your presence sought. 

Soon life began a face to wear 

So different and yet so true, 
O suffer not a heart to tear, 

Mv Nettie dear, will vou, will vou? 



112 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

And yet dear one we oft do learn 

To sit and hear from our great tutor, 

But hear my dear what does concern 
This one if ever a suitor. 

Truly the words that once you spake, 
Surely never can be recalled, 

Yet I my life would risk at stake 
And even with my all in all. 

Yes risk my life upon your word 
For you have won the greater part. 

x\nd stand and take anothers sword* 
Rather than break your loving heart. 

Dear one you know how you did groan 
When I before my doubts did bring, 

Fearing perhaps you'd go alone 

You fell like a bird with broken wins:. 



13 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

But the melancholy days are come, 
Yes the saddest of all the year, 

Yet my feelings will never grow dumb 
For my heart grows fond and dear. 

Dear one I know there's pain in life 
So look to Him who knows thine ill, 

And cease to live in restless strife, 
'Twill not be long His holy will. 

I hear thee say O I am tired 

Of this poor life of pain and woe. 

Yet God has promised all desired, 
Unless perchance 'twould be a foe. 

I hear thee say I've longed to go 

To my reward so sweet and precious: 

But better save some soul from woe 
And from the grave pernicious. 



14 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

Think of me whose heart 3-our breaking, 
Think of me so tried and true, 

All this for one like you I'm taking. 
O can it be from one like 5'ou ? 

Is God the onh^ one to trust 

In this old world of sin and pain, 

When coming pains do seem to thrust 
An arrow through m}^ weakened brain? 

As a bird with broken pinion 

Never soars as high again, 
Neither he whose heart is breaking 

Except his love revives again. 

When looking back I hear me say 

Of joys so sweet and true, 
Can this, can this, last all the day 

Bv trusting: in a ijirl like vou ? 



IS 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

I fancy I hear a voice so sweet, 

Answer back, " She will never break 

A heart that's at the mercy-seat. 

But true she'll be for her lover's sake.' 

Is all of this a fancied dream, 
Or all of this so seeming vain. 

Nothing but a life so lean, 
Destitute of heart and brain ? 

Does surel}^ see^n as if delusion, 

Yet all things once so bright and fair 

Was destitute of all confusion. 

While hopes were brightening yes so fair. 

Yes many a painful sleepless night. 

Your acquaintance has surely brought,^ 

Yet still I'm striving to do the right. 

And change the scene so lately wrought. 



lo 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

Well do I know this night dispersed 
How I upon my bed did toss, 

And did the times of joy rehearse 
That once were counted all but loss. 

This same pleasure O how sweetly 
Falls the words upon mine ear, 

Like a strain of far off music 

In the night time sweet and clear. 

Now this the saddest day of life 
Brings the news O yes that broke, 

This poor heart so full of strife 
From its former sacred yoke. 

O can it be that you would fail 

To trust in God when all doth shake, 

And trust in self your ship to sail. 
But worst of all your promise break ? 



IT 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

This da}' my life does seem to toss, 
When days before it seemed to seal 

A life that now I fear a loss, 
To me not only doth reveal. 

Then when A-onr letter I did read 

Like a leaf in summer hot, 
I wilt avray as if indeed 

I'd surely die in my sad lot. 

But O the agony and pain 

Still hoVers o'er and that to tear 

This poor weakened heart and brain 
That once was bright O yes so fair. 

O sad is the day that's nearly gone, 

O dark is the night that's soon to come, 

That brings two lovers now forlorn 
The words so sad, undone, undone. 



18 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

My sister comes soon from far away 
And tries in vain to soothe my heart, 

Little knowing O what to say 

To one that's pierced with such a dart. 

Now soon the day that seemed so long 
That brought to me a broken heart, 

Has ended with its painful song, 
Has given place for anothers start. 

Another painful restless night 

I've passed to view another morn, 

I see the faces clear and bright 

That know not w^hat it is to mourn. 

Still this poor heart is sad and lone 
'Twill not be healed within a day. 

For seeds of pain so lately sown 

Will ne'er be reaped through ending da}^ 



19 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

Well do I know 'tis not because 
Of lack of love that you depart, 

But O a sob and then a pause 

Comes forth from this poor bleeding heart. 

O can it be that God would part 

These hearts once bound in sacred love, 
Or even suffer such a dart 

To come down from the skys above ? 

But praise the Lord for one bright ray 
That comes through rayless night of gloom 

For we true friends remain each day 
With hopes beyond the darksome tomb. 

I've often said how can it be 

That one so pure should bear all this, 

When you dear one was once so tree, 
But now returns O not such bliss. 



20 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

It surely cannot be reward 

For anything that you have done, 

But surely if you please your Lord 

Well can 3^ou say, *' My course is run." 

It may be for, to save lost souls 
From that dark pit, O yes so deep; 

Where the bell of hope ne'er tolls, 

Where there, their sowings they do reap. 

Although 'tis hard I know to bear 
And suffer with such aches and pain, 

Yet Jesus' sufferings we must share 
For He died, O not in vain. 

'Tis but a lesson you must learn 

So ever strive to do the right. 
For truly, does this not concern 

The One who sees the future bright ? 



21 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

But now I wake on another morn 

And view the things that, once a token, 

Fail to comfort a heart that's torn, 
Yes, a heart so sad and broken. 

I do not write these lines to turn 

A girl like you from thoughts in view, 

Nor even do I try to spurne 
My affections back to you. 

But still I love you, yes so true. 
For you have been so much to me, 

So rest upon my word, will you ? 
And I the same will do for thee. 

You know that I your promise hold 

And I on your word rely, 
For you before, in days of old. 

Gave me your word, on which I'd die. 

LofC. 



The Heart-Broken Lover 

And when upon my bed I lie 

With bleeding heart and sore with pain, 
I think of thee and, O I sigh, 

*' Is all of this, so real, in vain ? " 

What now appears as disappointment 
And even cuts so deep a wound. 

Someday I'll see 'twas His appointment 
And with the ransomed I'll be found. 

So now my letter I will close 

With heart so sad, too sad to cry. 

Expecting to see you there with those, 
I bid you dear, goodbye ! goodbye ! 






23 



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